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I have always wanted to learn how to use a pair properly but so far it is very comical experience every time i try.

It's frustrating at first, that's for sure. But well worth the effort and persistence. Chopsticks really do become very flexible and capable once you get the hang of using them the proper way.

What I did when I finally decided to practice the technique was to try for the first first little while - maybe the first 5-10 minutes until it was just too frustrating - and then revert back to my original way. Eventually I found I could go through my whole meal doing things properly.

Oh, and while it's not something to do when you are eating with company, if you get really frustrated with a particularly bulky item like a chunk of meat or a meatball or dumpling, just jab it with your lower chopstick (and use the upper one to "hold on to it"). Get it in your bowl and then keep going. Eventually you'll find you won't need to jab anymore... except on rare occasions

Traditionally, doing anything left-handed is a bad thing and is beaten out of you. Well, not literally for the most part, but it's worked out of you. I started off as a lefty and was converted to a righty - but it also means for some things I'm now ambidextrous, like when using chopsticks

At Tosho's recent demo session, someone from the audience asked "what about lefties?" in terms of working at the sushi bar and apprenticing. The response from the sushi chef was something to the effect of "they aren't going to change how things are done to suit you, so you are forced to become a righty".

haha..wah! i'm laughing and sad by this.+

i was born a lefty. being chinese, it was "encouraged" out of me. now? i'm a mess. i am left eye dominate, so i am an awful archer and gun shooter. my handwriting is awful.

i can however, also use chopsticks with either hand. with practice i can write as well. shooting a bow..oh, yard-sale. i dont have the $$ to buy all lefty equipment and start over.

if had kids, i would let nature decide. i wouldnt eff with them like my mom did.

All of my kids grew up using chopsticks but my wife just does not want to learn. She always comments how easy it is for me but at I've been using them since I too was a kid. Even though we grew up in Northern CA there were always restaurants around where we honed our skills as kids.

I'll throw myself under the bus and admit it. I cannot use chop sticks properly. I can pick up some **** and usually drop it before it gets to my mouth. I can't exactly say I've tried to get better at it tho.

I'd venture to say that most Americans can't use them. The one's that try invariably make the same mistakes; 'choking up' to much & using too much pressure. Once the technique is learned, chopsticks (in my case Japanese hashi) are remarkably versatile and quite easy to use. Like everything else, mastery does take practice. My drills were with azuki beans, soft tofu and a lot of swearing, much to my wife's entertainment.

“Though I could not caution all, I still might warn a few; Don’t lend your hand to raise no flag atop no ship of fools.” Robert Hunter

In some ways, Hawaii is more Asian than American, that includes the fact that you will get a choice between cutlery or chopsticks in most restaurants. Very normal to use them out here. But there is no way I could use them with my left hand, I am way to uncoordinated for that.

I didn't learn how to use them until I was in my late 20s. But in general more people around here seem to know how to use them these days than when I was growing up. I found picking up individual rice grains is a great way to learn control. Plus you don't get as fat when you eat that slowly

I get teased a little for my use of chopsticks at the office - a small pile of cashews lasts a lot longer when going at it one at a time. Ya, I agree, they are all barbarians. Sometimes I think chopsticks are better than fingers and way better than forks - have to go slower and enjoy each bite. Side note: years ago I had lunch at a coworkers home, his parents were from Korea and still did not speak English. Wonderful food. Everytime I went there they put lots of napkins, forks, and I always had to as for the 'sticks, just like they used. Seems us Midwestern middle aged men just had a reputation. There really is something positive about the culture of keeping your dirty hands out of the food, even to delicately taking a small pork bone with the chopsticks instead of just awkwardly kinda spitting it out.